This invention relates generally to water filtration and more particularly to an improved, portable water filtration system and method. 2. Description of Related Art
Water filtering means are widely known and used in numerous applications. It is important when comparing different kinds of filtration processes, and different kinds of products, that we obtain an understanding of the abilities and inabilities of each. The water source and particular "product need" are necessary to make sure one uses the correct drinking water products in order to solve specific problems and reduction of specific contaminants and/or pollutants. With so many varying water problems and products throughout the world, an analysis or test of specific needs should be made.
There are four (4) major types of water pollution, namely:
1) INORGANICS PA1 2) ORGANICS PA1 3) RADIOLOGICAL CHEMICALS PA1 4) MICROBIOLOGY (Iodinator)
Aesthetic--Taste, odor and clarity. PA2 Wet Chemistry--chlorine, turbidity and total suspended solids. PA2 Heavy Metals--Aluminum, cadmium. chromium, copper, lead, etc. PA2 Industrial--VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOC), Trihalomethanes (THM), etc. PA2 Agriculture--Organochlorine pesticides, PCB's, EBCP and EDB. PA2 Radon zzz. PA2 Coliform, Fecal Coliform, R. Terrigene, Crytosporidium, Giardia L.
Each filtration and/or purification process has different abilities and inabilities of removing the contaminants mentioned above. These include: 1) Sediment filtration, which is primarily used to remove silt, sand and suspended items. Sediment filters come in many sizes, such as 20 micron to remove particles that are 20 microns in size or larger. 2) Granulated activated carbon filtration (GAC), which are very effective at removing some chlorine, chloroform, trihalomethane, VOC, pesticides, herbicides and other organic chemicals. This type of filter is responsible for improving clarity, taste and odor, and the characteristics of the quality or type of GAC--dwell time, volume and flow rate have to be considered to create the best results for absorption of pollutants in water. The present invention uses Powder Activated Coconut Carbon (PAC), which is considered to be the very highest quality and smallest of the carbon medias. 3) Ultrafiltration, which is the design of very fine filters or ultra-filtration filters created for use in removing the contaminants listed above. These filters have the ability to remove pathogens that are larger than the pore size of the fine filter. Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and other micro-organisms measuring 2-10 microns in size. With the filter assembly of the present invention, particularly the Micro-PAC combination, up to 99.9% of the pollutants can be removed. Although some prior water filters are known which solve some of the above mentioned filter needs, there still exists the need in the art for a less cumbersome, easy to use, substantially low-cost filter system and method that efficiently filters and purifies water held in a flexible bottle.
The filter system of the present invention provides a product that has the greatest capability to improve filtration and purification for more of the total pollution area. This is preferably done by providing a multi-phase filter purification system, using media that is smaller than 5 micron in pore size and other media. The present invention has been specifically designed to be effective in all of the pollution areas identified above, namely, INORGANICS, ORGANICS, RADIOLOGICAL CHEMICALS AND MICROBIOLOGY. Available testing data shows the improved abilities of the present invention to remove high percentages of all of these contaminants or pollutants.
Additionally, the present invention may include an "Iodinator" which has the ability to kill Micro-organisms, if adequate time is allowed for questionable water to stand after the water has passed through an Iodinator to insure proper kill rate. After the water has been given sufficient time for exposure to the iodide the flexible bottle is then pressed or squeezed by the hand of a user to force the water back through the Iodinator and then through the primary filter. The primary filter has sorbent material that has the capability of removing iodine and iodide from the water, plus the remaining dead pathogens. The design of this portable filtration system is that it can be used with or without either of the filters, depending upon the need of a user.
Basically, the filter system of the present invention is mounted in a flexible, portable bottle. The system includes a first or primary filter assembly attached to the cap. This primary filter assembly includes a PAC filter impregnated with sorbent media and a check valve assembly with a filter mounted therein. When the cap is removed from the flexible bottle, the flexible bottle is filled with questionable water and the cap is replaced and tightened to seal the bottle. A nozzle outlet or valve at the tip of the cap may then be pulled upwardly or turned to open the same and the flexible bottle is squeezed to force water through the filter attached to the cap, whereby clean filtered water will exit the cap through the open nozzle or valve. The valve is preferably bonded to the bottom of the primary filter to allow air recovery or pressure equalization in the bottle, in order that the bottle may repressurize itself after the water has been pressed through the primary filter system. The nozzle outlet or valve is then closed to seal the unit after use.
A second filter or Iodinator may be inserted or held in the interior near an open end of the flexible bottle. The Iodinator is a preferably a rigid, porous plastic resin having Iodinated resins impregnated therein and when questionable water is initially poured into the bottle such water passes through the Iodinator for the purpose of killing or terminating micro-organisms. The questionable water is held in an inner chamber of the bottle for specific periods of time, depending upon different kill rates for any micro-organisms that might be present. This process, therefore, also keeps the system disinfected. The Iodinator is designed for consistent and predictable Iodine elution levels, absorption, release and kill rates.